Les baskets se déchaînent

I always believed "Massacre at Central high" has always been categorized incorrectly. Despite the title, it's not a "horror" film (it's not scary and doesn't fit the mold) and it isn't a true "slasher" film. I always felt that this film was just a great drama, one where the actual killings are secondary to the messages the film has to offer for examination. I really don't like "message" or "deep" films that much, but this one is a rare exception as far as "deep" films go. The great thing about this film is, it doesn't have to be "deep" unless you deliberately look further into it.

This is really quite an intelligent film. It examines social class and status, power and authority, the rebellion and the aftermath of such rebellion. The story is very interesting - David comes to Central High, only to find his old best friend Mark is now a part of a group of four guys that pick on everyone and rule the school. David has a choice, join up or become one of the picked on. David starts showing his disdain for the group, and it's only a matter of time before the group gets fed up with giving David chance after chance, as pleaded by Mark.

David is the leader of the rebellion against the bullies, and when the problem is solved, new ones crop up because there is a void that needs to be filled - the oppressed become the new bullies and it's the start of the same cycle over again.

The examination of such nature, especially seeing the "new bullies" and how they take over the role is fascinating. One of them even buys a car from the parents of the leader of the bullies, the car belonging to their son who David has killed, to even more completely fill the role.

You never see any adults in Central High - this is intentional as the world we are seeing revolves totally around the students. Actually the only time you do see any adults is in the final sequence at the school dance, where they are very zombie-ish and lifeless, Central High being their own futureless living graveyard.

This is definitely an underrated amazing little film. A DVD release would be very much appreciated!

To hear the name of this implies it is a typical horror/slasher film and it isn't. I loved this movie when my brother, a major film buff, first introduced me to it many years ago. Massacre may have its flaws(admittedly it's not a high budget movie!) but it is surprisingly chilling and would have alot of relevence, were it to be rereleased today.

The film ruthlessly drives home to the viewer what it can be like to be a a highschool student at a school where nobody cares-the lack of any adults in the movie and many scenes of bullying and tormenting bring the point home as did another great movie "Carrie".

However, Massacre takes the premise one, two, three steps further- this isn't "Carrie" as many have said, it's more "Carrie" meets "Lord of the flies". Massacre shows the flaws of all the main characters and lets nobody off the hook. That's all I will say but if your reading this and haven't seen it check it out-it's little known but is good!

The title might suggest a cheap hybrid of Carrie and Death Wish, but Massacre at Central High is not your typical drive-in movie. Granted it's filled with violence, blood, and nudity, and the revenge angle is quite powerful, but its examination of high-school politics is the element that really gets your brain working.

We've all experienced it--the Jerk Jock gets transferred to another school, and right away someone fills his position as King of the Cretins. Those at the top of the social structure exercise their ultimately negligible powers in order to make themselves feel bigger and better than everyone else. It is this tradition that Massacre at Central High pierces with a razor-sharp skewer.

Unfortunately, the picture is very hard to find in this age of sickening political correctness. A typical knee-jerk reaction would be to say that films like this glorify school violence--currently a big concern. But, as always, that sort of viewpoint is formulated without really looking at the message of the project. Yes, it's violent. Yes, it deals with a teenager killing other teenagers. But ultimately, what does this accomplish? No matter how many are killed, they're immediately replaced. Violence does not solve the problem. THIS is the point, and it's stated with a subtle brilliance that really hits home.

Of course, this underground classic also benefits from a terrific exploitation cast and an imaginative approach to the material. The scratchy, grainy color cinematography has a low-budget beauty that not everyone can appreciate. The melding of professional and amateurish elements results in a genuinely tense, scary experience...but one with much more to offer than your typical psycho epic.

This movie was made six or eight years too soon. 1976 was the year that the micro-computer revolution was just getting into swing and it would be a few years before IBM would make Bill Gates a billionaire. So nobody paid much attention to this film. But, it had so much more to offer than the "light-hearted" Revenge of the Nerds films.

We open with a (they didn't have skin heads then) group of Nazi like blonde haired bullies terrorizing the lessor students into "politically correct" thinking ala the burgeoning "family values" <insert twisted cross here> movement. A new kid comes to school and although he has an "in" with the rulers of the hallways, their brutality offends him and he sides with the under dogs. Even using his own physical superiority at fighting to humiliate the gang--and worse steal their women. His friend in the gang is sympathetic, but tries to convince him to join up or get his comeuppance. Our hero gets his comeuppance in spades and now he really gets mad and turns to murder!

After the "Nazis" are eliminated one by one, a power vacuum ensues where there is a mad dash to fill it. We then realize that there is always going to be predator and prey and it just a matter of who is the strongest.

This film is the perfect allegory of High School Life--and Life in general. This is an unheralded masterpiece! It only suffered in production values, which were less than perfect.

A real find. I remember I first read about it in "The Phantom's Ultimate Movie Guide." The title alone caught my attention as well as the review found in the book. I finally got to see it a year ago and I found it to be very intelligent and suspenseful, not to mention thought provoking. I am still contemplating the message behind the movie and that is what I love best about it. It is not blunt about what it is saying, it leaves it up to you to decide. Though technically a slasher flick, the movie is anything but routine, with plenty of twists to keep your attention. It is basically a parable of political corruption in a high school setting. It presents a high school where there is no authority and I must say that is not too unrealistic, when I got picked on by bullies in high school there seemed to be no teachers around anywhere. It was only in class when I actually saw the teachers or any other adults. The kids who were strongest physically seemed to be in charge of the halls. There were times where I wanted to just try to make a change but I felt it was futile. "Massacre At Central High" deals with such issues, but it also offers an alternative solution and the consequences of it. One of the few slasher flicks to deal effectively with real issues as well the often harsh reality that high school was for some.